Housing and housing grasping features usable with a heat dissipating device

Abstract

A housing or surface of a housing containing at least one heat dissipating device configured to be grasped or otherwise held by a user. The housing includes a first housing wall portion with a plurality of grasping features that protrude from the first housing wall portion and a second housing wall portion with a second plurality of grasping features that protrude from the second housing wall portion. The first plurality of grasping features and second plurality of grasping features prevent a user from contacting the first housing wall portion and the second housing wall portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A housing for containing at least one heat dissipating device, the housing configured to be grasped or otherwise held by a user, the housing comprising:
 a first housing wall portion with a first plurality of grasping features that protrude from the first housing wall portion; and   a second housing wall portion with a second plurality of grasping features that protrude from the second housing wall portion, wherein the first plurality of grasping features and second plurality of grasping features prevent the user from contacting the first housing wall portion and the second housing wall portion.   
     
     
         2 . The housing of  claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of grasping features are protrusions, or the first housing wall portion comprises a plurality of concavities between the first plurality of grasping features, or the first plurality of grasping features are protrusions and the first housing wall portion comprises a plurality of concavities between the first plurality of grasping features. 
     
     
         3 . The housing of  claim 2 , wherein the second plurality of grasping features are protrusions, or the second housing wall portion comprises a plurality of concavities between the second plurality of grasping features, or the second plurality of grasping features are protrusions and the second housing wall portion comprises a plurality of concavities between the second plurality of grasping features. 
     
     
         4 . The housing of  claim 3 , wherein the first plurality of grasping features and the second plurality of grasping features are formed of a non-metallic material. 
     
     
         5 . The housing of  claim 4 , wherein the first housing wall portion and the second housing wall portion are formed of a non-metallic material. 
     
     
         6 . The housing of  claim 5 , wherein the first housing wall portion, the second housing wall portion, the first plurality of grasping features, and the second plurality of grasping features are a unitary structure. 
     
     
         7 . The housing of  claim 6 , further comprising a third housing wall portion and a fourth housing wall portion, wherein the first housing wall portion and the second housing wall portion are substantially perpendicular to the third housing wall portion and the fourth housing wall portion, and wherein the first housing wall portion and the second housing wall portion are substantially parallel. 
     
     
         8 . The housing of  claim 7 , wherein the third housing wall portion comprises a third plurality of grasping features that protrude from the third housing wall portion and the fourth housing wall portion comprises a fourth plurality of grasping features that protrude from the fourth housing wall portion. 
     
     
         9 . The housing of  claim 8 , wherein the first housing wall portion, second housing wall portion, third housing wall portion and fourth housing wall portion form a substantially rectangular enclosure for containing the at least one heat dissipating device. 
     
     
         10 . The housing of  claim 9 , wherein the first plurality of grasping features, the second plurality of grasping features, the third plurality of grasping features, and the fourth plurality of grasping features are substantially identical. 
     
     
         11 . The housing of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one heat dissipating device is one or more components of a power converter contained within the housing. 
     
     
         12 . The housing of  claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of grasping features is comprised of 5 to 200 grasping features and wherein the second plurality of grasping features consists of 5-200 grasping features. 
     
     
         13 . The housing of  claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of grasping features and the second plurality of grasping features form a substantially repetitive pattern on the first housing wall portion and the second housing wall portion. 
     
     
         14 . The housing of  claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of grasping features form a randomized or non-repetitive pattern on the first housing wall portion. 
     
     
         15 . The housing of  claim 14 , wherein the second plurality of grasping features form a randomized or non-repetitive pattern on the second housing wall portion. 
     
     
         16 . A heat dissipating circuit and a housing containing the heat dissipating circuit, the housing comprising:
 a first housing wall portion with a first wall inner surface and a first wall outer surface, the first wall outer surface comprising a plurality of first grasping features extending therefrom; and   a second housing wall portion with a second wall inner surface and a second wall outer surface, the second wall outer surface having a plurality of second grasping features extending therefrom, wherein the plurality of first grasping features and plurality of second grasping features prevent a user that grasps the housing from contacting the first wall outer surface and the second wall outer surface.   
     
     
         17 . The heat dissipating circuit and housing of  claim 16 , the housing further comprising:
 a third housing wall portion comprising a third wall inner surface and a third wall outer surface, wherein the third wall outer surface comprises a plurality of third grasping features extending therefrom; and   a fourth housing wall portion comprising a fourth wall inner surface and a fourth wall outer surface, wherein the fourth wall outer surface comprises a plurality of fourth grasping features extending therefrom, wherein the first wall inner surface and the second wall inner surface are substantially perpendicular to the third wall inner surface and the fourth wall inner surface, and wherein the first wall inner surface and the second wall inner surface are substantially parallel.   
     
     
         18 . The housing of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of first grasping features, plurality of second grasping features, plurality of third grasping features, and plurality of fourth grasping features form a substantially repetitive pattern on the first wall outer surface, the second wall outer surface, the third wall outer surface, and the fourth wall outer surface. 
     
     
         19 . The housing of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a fifth housing wall portion comprising a fourth wall inner surface and a fourth wall outer surface, wherein the fifth wall outer surface comprises a plurality of fifth grasping features extending therefrom; and   a sixth housing wall portion comprising a sixth wall inner surface and a sixth wall outer surface, wherein the sixth wall outer surface comprises a plurality of fourth grasping features extending therefrom, wherein the fifth wall inner surface and the sixth wall inner surface are substantially perpendicular to the first wall inner surface, the second wall inner surface, the third wall inner surface and the fourth wall inner surface.   
     
     
         20 . The heat dissipating circuit and housing of  claim 17 , wherein the first grasping features, second grasping features, third grasping features, and fourth grasping features are formed of a non-metallic material. 
     
     
         21 . The heat dissipating circuit and housing of  claim 20 , wherein the plurality of first grasping features, plurality of second grasping features, plurality of third grasping features, and plurality of fourth grasping features are substantially identical. 
     
     
         22 . The heat dissipating circuit and housing of  claim 21 , wherein each of the first grasping features comprises a first grasping surface at an end thereof, each of the second grasping features comprises a second grasping surface at an end thereof, each of the third grasping features comprises a third grasping surface at an end thereof, and each of the fourth grasping features comprises a fourth grasping surface at an end thereof, wherein the first grasping surface, second grasping surface, fourth grasping surface and fourth grasping surface have a minor dimension from 0.75 millimeters (mm) to 2.0 mm. 
     
     
         23 . The heat dissipating circuit and housing of  claim 17 , wherein the heat dissipating circuit is a power converter circuit. 
     
     
         24 . A heat dissipating circuit and a housing containing the heat dissipating circuit, the housing comprising:
 a first housing wall portion with a first wall inner surface and a first wall outer surface, the first wall outer surface comprising a plurality of first grasping features extending therefrom; and   a second housing wall portion with a second wall inner surface and a second wall outer surface, the second wall outer surface having a plurality of second grasping features extending therefrom, wherein the plurality of first grasping features and plurality of second grasping features distance a user's skin from first wall outer surface and the second wall outer surface when a user grasps the housing.   
     
     
         25 . The heat dissipating circuit and housing of  claim 24 , wherein the housing further comprises an outer layer over the plurality of first grasping features and second grasping features, wherein the outer layer contacts a first grasping feature surface of the first grasping features and a second grasping feature surface of the second grasping features and is spaced-apart from the first wall outer surface and the second wall outer surface. 
     
     
         26 . An enclosure containing a dissipating device, the enclosure comprising:
 an enclosure wall at a periphery of the enclosure, the enclosure wall having a minimum and maximum thickness, the maximum thickness existing for a percentage of the periphery of the enclosure in at least one sectional plane of the enclosure, wherein said percentage is less than 33%, wherein a difference in the minimum and maximum wall thickness is in the range from 0.75 millimeters (mm) to 4.0 mm and wherein a minimum distance between points having a maximum wall thickness is less than 350% of the difference between the minimum and maximum wall thickness.   
     
     
         27 . The enclosure of  claim 26 , wherein regions of maximum and minimum thickness form a substantially repetitive pattern around the periphery of the enclosure in at least one sectional plane of the enclosure. 
     
     
         28 . The enclosure of  claim 26 , wherein one or more of the maximum thickness percentages of the periphery of the enclosure, the difference in the minimum and maximum wall thickness and the minimum distance between points having a maximum wall thickness are variable around the periphery of the enclosure in at least one sectional plane of the enclosure. 
     
     
         29 . The enclosure of  claim 26 , wherein regions having substantially the maximum wall thickness form substantially continuous ridges on the periphery of the enclosure, the ridges separated by grooves, and wherein at least a portion of the grooves define the minimum wall thickness. 
     
     
         30 . The enclosure of  claim 26 , wherein the dissipating device is a power converter circuit. 
     
     
         31 . The enclosure of  claim 26 , wherein the dissipating device is a switched mode power supply circuit.